The German magazine Spiegel reports that a message in a bottle has been found 132 years after being released by a German Research vessel. The message was found on the coast of Western Australia last year with a request to return it to a research institute in Hamburg (which no longer exists) or to a German consulate. The message is now on its way back to Hamburg where it will be displayed in the Maritime Museum.

It appears every year and is probably the most comprehensive report on the world’s innovation systems. The Global Innovation Report 2018ranks Australia as number 20 in the world – up three places since 2017. Reading through the report is fascinating – it finds Australia’s strength lies mainly in its human capital and research capabilities, in particular education at tertiary (university) level and the government’s online services and the ease of starting a business were also considered strengths. That last point may come as a surprise to some Australian readers, but just try and do anything online with a German government authority and you will realise that Australia is streets ahead.

On the downside, Australia’s business sophistication and knowledge and technology output levels fell short compared to other countries. The report marked Australia’s innovation linkages, university and industry research collaboration, research talent in business enterprises, patents, and high-tech and ICT services export levels as major weaknesses. There is clearly something to be learnt here from other countries.

The Australian Football League Germany (AFLG) has been around for almost 20 years, however it has only been made up of male teams. This has started to change in 2018 as women’s football has been introduced in to the country and is starting to grow. In April, a Hamburg Dockers representative team, made up of women from across the whole of Germany, played in the Champions League Tournament in Amsterdam, lining up against teams from the UK, France, Denmark & Sweden. This was a fantastic launch for women’s footy in Germany and a great advertisement for the sport. It also gave the new players to the sport a great flavour of what it is all about. The speed and excitement of the game, the sense of camaraderie between teammates and also the amazing and unique community that surrounds Australian Football in Europe.

The AFLG includes clubs in Berlin, Cologne, Dresden, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich and Stuttgart (plus a new club in Leipzig) with all clubs welcoming women. Since the Champions League tournament, a number of ‘Come & Try’ sessions have been held around the country to introduce women to the sport. We have attracted women that have traditionally played handball or Fußball and they are really enjoying the different skills that the sport requires; catching, kicking, tackling, speed & agility. Numbers are starting to grow and so two exhibition games have been held in Berlin & Hamburg, the first ever Women’s Australian Football games held on German ground. The next fixtures will be back in Berlin, Dresden and Cologne and hopefully across the border in Prague.

The biggest challenge we face with recruiting women (and men too) is the complete lack of knowledge of the sport, as it is only played professionally in Australia. With a big competition of other sports women can play in Germany, as mentioned previously namely handball and Fußball, it’s hard to win women over to a sport not many people have ever heard of before. However, the intensity, the contact and speed of the game make it so exciting that normally once a female plays her first game, she is hooked for life!

With the growth in Women’s football here, the aim is to take the first German National Women’s Team to the Euro Cup in Cork, Ireland in October this year. There is already a strong contingent of German women in place who will be hoping to play for the team as they make their debut. The Euro Cup has featured women since 2010 and 2018 will be the biggest year yet with women’s teams from 9 nations attending; Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Wales. It will be a fantastic experience for German women to represent their country.

The next steps are to finalize the National team name, logo and get the kits designed. Due to the nature of the sport, all financial aspects are self-funded by players or generated through fundraising campaigns. Therefore, the team are looking for a sponsor for their inaugural kit which they would wear during their debut in the 2018 Euro Cup (and future events in the next few years). They are looking for a company or individual that would be interested in supporting women’s sport in Germany and to sponsor the kits, in return getting their logo emblazoned on them. The team would also be interested in multiple sponsors, for example; sponsor for the top and sponsor for the shorts. If you are interested and would like to find out more, please contact Women@aflg.de.

If you are interested in trying out Australia’s most loved game, or know someone that would be then get in contact with your nearest club by messaging @AFLGermany on Facebook. To find out more about the growth of women’s footy in Germany, and to support us on social media, please like/follow the @AFLGWomen pages on Facebook and Instagram.

Lisa Wilson- AFL Europe

https://gabc.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/AFLG-Women-2.jpg19922987Elizabeth Mattershttps://gabc.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Logo_website-300x93.pngElizabeth Matters2018-07-16 09:48:372018-07-16 09:48:37Women's Australian Football kicks off in Germany!

The German Chamber in Sydney (AHK) in partnership with the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft and Energie will be holding an event on the topic of ‘Business Opportunities in Australia for German Companies’. This event particularly focuses on the Beauty and Household Products sector. It will take place on the 17th of September, 2018 from 11am-4.30pm at the Steigenberger Hotel, Bad Homburg.

As this is not a Business Council event, please direct all further enquiries directly to the organiser, Miriam Achenbach (achenbach@sbs-business.com).

https://gabc.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/News_DefaultGABC2.jpg6901413Elizabeth Mattershttps://gabc.eu/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Logo_website-300x93.pngElizabeth Matters2018-05-24 08:06:162018-08-29 14:22:49EU Council gives the go-ahead for trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand

The Auslandshandelskammer’s Australian and New Zealand offices are pleased to offer a one-off, free consultation in Frankfurt on the 4th of June 2018 to companies interested in expanding their business interests in this region. Please find more information and the registration form at https://www.frankfurt-main.ihk.de/veranstaltungen/8/53570/Sprechtag_Australien_und_Neuseeland/index.html?id=3346 ‘

Australian Business in Europe (ABIE) is a network of business organisations supporting the advancement of trade in goods and services, and investment, between Australia and Europe. Organisations participating in the ABIE network include businesses, business people and other supporters of the economic relationship all over Europe who work together to promote stronger commercial ties between individual countries in Europe with Australia.

In total trade and investment, Europe remains Australia’s largest economic partner, and Australia is for Europe a strong economic and like-minded partner, strategically located and deeply connected within the fastest growing economic region in the world. Australia and Europe share fundamental values and a common commitment to open, transparent and well-regulated markets, and of high levels of social and environmental protection.

A comprehensive and ambitious Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the European Union (EU) and Australia is an essential and currently-missing part of the bilateral economic framework. Europe and Australia interests are highly complementary, and an FTA which addresses market access issues, regulatory barriers and costs will provide better conditions for the business relationship to achieve its full potential. ABIE network organisations are committed to supporting an FTA to secure the common interests and opportunities for European and Australian business.

The EU-Australia Leadership Forum has announced a Call for Applications for the 2018 Emerging Leaders Forum which will take place in Brussels from 18-22 November 2018.

Applications are invited from young (35 years and under) Australian and EU citizens/permanent residents who have proven their potential leadership ability in diverse professional backgrounds including government, business, civil society, academia and the media.

Successful applicants will have their flights, accommodation, transfers and other forum expenses fully supported by the EU-Australia Leadership Forum.

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